Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/348

 BEAUTY 326 to use plenty of grease to the face before and after make-up is put on. Lanoline has an immense advantage over any other fats in that it is quickly absorbed by the skin, is a real skin food, and does not encourage the growth of superfluous hair. There are definite movements to be observed in massaging. For frowns, use a strong, firm pressure of the first two fingers of both hands, and a movement across the WTinkles and towards the temples. For the wrinkles across the forehead, move the fingers always in one direction, and up towards the roots of the hair. For the mouth wrinkles, use more of the fingers than the tips. Begin at the chin, and smooth in a semi-circular movement to- wards the ears, past the corners of the nose. Crows' -feet But the most immovable enemies in the way of wrinkles collect in fine lines about the eyes. Here wear and tear rapidly use up the nourishment which should keep the skin firm, and crows'-feet and a baggincss under the eyes result. Crows'-feet can be subdued by massage in firm, circular movements ; the baggincss by smooth movements from the inner to the outer corner of the eye. Eye-strain is often an unsuspected cause of wrinkles round the eyes. That of tightening the skin till it loses those ugly folds would appear to be the quickest way of banishing wrinkles. But when the real cause of the wrinkles is known to be a decrease of the fat under the skin, it is realised that the Italian woman's olive-oil and the " -Turkish delight " by which the Oriental keeps up her supply of adipose tissue are the real kind of wrinkle banishers. At the same time, after massage, and now and again when the skin wants toning up, there is benefit to be gained from some astringent. Wine (Medoc) is good, so is the Lait Virginal, for which a recipe has been given. The lotions often sold for the purpose are more drastic, and in the end, ceasing to act, leave a worse state of the skin than they found. Tannic acid and alum form the basis of the majority, and, therefore, alum- water is a simple skin tightener. The least harmful I know, after water in which alum has been dissolved, is : Rose-water 50 parts Thick milk of almonds. . 12 Sulphate of alumina. . i Paint on with a camel-hair brush. Mix only a small portion at a time, and keep the bottle well corked. The prevention of wrinkles is, naturally, a much more satisfactory process than the banishment of them. For with patience, an intelligent and regular use of massage, and an unremitting guard over health, habits, and the disposition to look on the dark side as the years advance, the complexion can be kept smooth and clear to old age. To be coniimied. TKE HAIR Continued from pa^e 17s, Part 2 No. 3. GREYNESS The Influence of Heredity, and other^ Causes— Why Sudden Shock Premature Greyness and Its Causes-The Only Drug Whic"hTs of vllue "n Arresting GreynesI r^REYNESs of the hair is an exceedingly common affection. The greyness of advancing years, due to natural degenera- tion, demands no special notice, but, un- fortunately, premature greyness is not only very prevalent but is undoubtedly on the increase. Premature greyness, like many other hair and skin affections, may frequently be traced to an hereditary tendency, but there are numerous instances of it which are not due to this, and for which there apparently seems to be no special cause. Causes of Greyness The truth is, however, that there may be a variety of causes of this affection, many of them being preventable. The colour and vanety of shades in the hair largely depend upon the quality and quantity of pigmentary matter secreted by the glands, and produced m the medullary substance of the hair. Some writers have advanced the theory that the bright, white light reflected from the wmter snow is the cause of all the animals the high^ northern latitudes becoming This idea seems to be to white in winter. some extent borne out by the fact that in our own country this singular change takes place in two instances. The Alpine hare and the ptarmigan, or mountain partridge, though brownish grey in summer, become wholly white as soon as the snows begin to cover their place of resort. Fright and Shock It seems more feasible, however, to conclude that, as this blanching only occurs in a few instances it is due to extreme cold, for if the skin by any means is contracted at the roots of the hair, and the pigmentary matter and oil prevented from rising, there will only remain the dry body of the hair, and it will, of course, be white. This explains, also, the sudden blanching of the hair from fright, grief, or shock, many instances of which have been recorded. The pigmentary matter is suddenly arrested by violent nervous contractions, which, in cases of highly emotional disturbance, are not followed by healthy reaction of the skin. There are many historical instances of this sudden blanching of the hair. That ol Marie Antoinette, whose auburn tresses